Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies on the design of new schools of the study entitled, The impact of classroom design on pupils' learning, by Professor Barrett of Salford University, published in July 2015.

The Department continuously monitors literature published on the built environment as it relates to schools. Where relevant, the findings from this literature inform the development of the Department’s guidance on design and maintenance[1]. The Department uses this guidance to communicate with contractors, designers, schools and sixth form colleges about the standards in class room design.

Professor Barrett has met with officials from the department to discuss the findings of his research. Professor Barrett’s recommendations regarding daylight, temperature and air-quality in schools reinforce those already made in the Education Funding Agency’s (EFA) Building Bulletins and the requirements in EFA’s Facilities Output Specification, used in procuring many new school buildings.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/school-building-design-and-maintenance